Former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mona Quartey is not pleased with the NPP MPs’ decision to stand down on their request for the President to dismiss Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu-Boahen.
She said considering the current economic crisis, the MPs should not have heeded President Akufo-Addo’s appeal for Ofori-Atta and Adu-Boahen to stay at post until IMF negotiations are concluded.
Speaking on Newsfile, Saturday, the Managing Partner at BVM Advisory Services noted that by acceding to the President’s appeal, the MPs have failed their constituents.
“It is a pity that when they went to meet the President, they honoured him and stood down when he asked them to.
“One was expecting that they will continue and in fact, for the sake of Ghana. Because the situation now is time-sensitive, the situation will not be the same by early next year.
“They need to act now. So for them to stand down, it is real pity and we hope that they come back.”
According to her, the MPs should join the Minority in their vote of censure against the Finance Minister.
She stressed that if the MPs fail to stand by their decision for Ken Ofori-Atta to resign, it will cost them their parliamentary seats in the next elections.
“The people of Ghana are suffering and especially the MPs you must consider your constituents. You are going to go back to them, you will not be MPs forever. When you go back, they will show you where power lies,” she added.
On Tuesday, October 25, 80 out of the 137 Majority MPs demanded the sacking of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu-Boahen citing their poor management of the country’s fiscal space.
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The MPs at a press conference held at Parliament blamed the duo for the delay in the ongoing International Monetary Fund programme negotiations that is expected to give the country a bailout.
“We are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the President changes the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry without further delay to restore hope to the financial sector and reverse the downward trend in the growth of the economy.”
The group led by the MP for Asante Akim North, Andy Appiah-Kubi said the failure of government to heed to their demands will result in their boycott of all government business.
“Meanwhile we want to serve notice, and notice is hereby served that until such persons as aforementioned are made to resign or removed from office, we members of the majority caucus here in Parliament will not participate in any business of government by or for the President by any other minister.
“We hope that those of us [at] the backbench and members of the Majority Caucus will abide by this prayer. We are saying that if our request is not responded to positively, we will not be present for the budget hearing, neither will we participate in the debate.”
Their move was applauded by the general public and other groups who have in the past called for similar action to be taken.
This drew the attention of the President who summoned the NPP MPs for a meeting on the substantive matter.
After the meeting with President Akufo-Addo, the MPs in a U-turn later acceded to the President’s appeal to allow Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu-Boahen to stay in office till after the IMF deal is sorted out and the 2023 Budget is presented to Parliament.
In a statement released by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, he said, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry will stay “until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the presentation of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy in November 2022 and the subsequent passage of the Appropriation Bill after which time the demand will be acted upon.”